Moral panics about technology are nothing new for creators. Copyright, in particular, has been a favorite tool to excite outrage. We were told that the motion picture industry would “bleed and bleed and hemorrhage” if the law didn’t prohibit VCRs. Because of the photocopier, industry experts warned that “the day may not be far off when no one need purchase book.” MP3 players, we were told, would leave us with no professional musicians, but only amateurs.

Today, we are told that librarians lending books online will undo the publishing industry, and that AI will destroy entire creative industries as we know them.  At the same time, authors face real and unprecedented challenges in reaching readers, working within an increasingly consolidated publishing marketplace, a concentrated technology stack that seems aimed at optimizing ad revenue over all else, and a labyrinth of private agreements over which authors have almost no say.

So what’s real and what’s hyperbole?

An engaging discussion with leading experts to cut through the hype and hear about the real challenges and opportunities facing authors who want to be read.

The event will included a keynote address from author, activist, and journalist Cory Doctorow, as well as a series of panel discussions with leading experts on authorship, law, technology, and publishing.

Event Schedule: